Pantones in Photoshop??

[The Department of Design]

Actually I agree. I have always set packaging in Illustrator.

However, should you use allot of linked files in Illustrator, she can create some incredibly cumbersome and inefficient files. So assembling and thinking clever with a page setting app can be a time and space saving practice allowing more efficient work flow.

I feared this was going to happen, this point opens discussion further to; how software "should" be used, "Can" be used and "best" be used. I also know full well that there are usually heaps of different ways to do any one job. I always say that there is rarely a right or wrong way to use software, so long as it gets the job done. But there are often moral reasoning and good practice to these uses and each job is different. For example;

When setting documents InDesign I mainly use logos, placed in a picture box and most often an EPS file. Which is an old school, but tried and tested, here to stay method of working technically "best practice". But Indesign can handle ai files just as well, if not better, as it display's a better quality preview that is more efficient to display. (Seems to out put well enough too!)

In my recent experience, I have seen that new to industry young designers are without these practices, often prefer to copy and paste vectors straight from Illustartor into InDesign! I was shocked to say the least. (this isn't a blanket rule just I have been surprised at the amount of people doing this.) This does work (sometimes) however it can cause issues with effects in the art work, problems during ripping to output and even worse, the pasted graphic will be editable in InDesign and can be changed, editing an element that should be left well alone, therefore the art work can change and be inconsistent with other designs! Danger! Danger!

In light of this it is best practice to have well managed files and linked elements. I think this old school method is essential to studio practice, with many benefits, such as uneditable elements, updated-able links, better file management and better performance from your machine. But then this is just my preference and recommendation that sees me right.

Like I say there is rarely a right or wrong way, but always be prepared, that one day we can and may have to change our minds or our methods.

I took great delight in abandoning Quark for Indesign 2.0 and never regretted it, I like to be adaptable and experimental and then I will always benefit and never stuck in the stone age. Even after 17 years, I bet you are still learning?

Just read this thread...why use 3 applications to set up artwork when one will do?
If the artwork can be laid out solely in Illustrator, then why not? Why do you need to involve InDesign?
Presuming that everything that needs to be printed has to be output via Pagemaker (old school), Quark, InDesign is archaic!
I'm not suggesting that you set a document such as a brochure in Illustrator, but packaging graphics, stationery, posters, flyers - in fact anything that is based on a single canvas is perfect for Illustrator.
Importing EPS/TIFFs into InDesign then means you have linked files to potentially deal with.

Anyway I've only been doing this for 17 years. Just my input!

[LovesPrint]

Just read this thread...why use 3 applications to set up artwork when one will do?
If the artwork can be laid out solely in Illustrator, then why not? Why do you need to involve InDesign?
Presuming that everything that needs to be printed has to be output via Pagemaker (old school), Quark, InDesign is archaic!
I'm not suggesting that you set a document such as a brochure in Illustrator, but packaging graphics, stationery, posters, flyers - in fact anything that is based on a single canvas is perfect for Illustrator.
Importing EPS/TIFFs into InDesign then means you have linked files to potentially deal with.

Anyway I've only been doing this for 17 years. Just my input!

I haven't got a problem with using illy for single pages..but there are certain things InDesign is better for. For example a business card - you can use master pages in InDesign for many names of the same design. I've had files given to me where a person creates many business cards on the same artboard which I then have to split down to process. As you mentioned multipage documents are better set out in a page layout programme.

I have issue with the way some use Illustrator (ie not properly, with thousands of unnecessary masks & embedded pictures which make the file enormous etc.) If used properly it's fine.

[pcbranding]

Of course I'm still learning :) and I'm not arguing either.
Was just sounding out the fact that work doesn't have to be 'output' via InDesign and just because it's in InDesign doesn't mean it's been set up any better or worse!
Understanding linked files and file sizes etc. and how they are managed is a good thing and so is which application is best for a certain type of job.

Applications now cross over so much in terms of what they can produce and all of the professional ones can effectively handle most types of work.
Perhaps it was easier when things were:
Quark - Layout
Illustrator - Drawing
Photoshop - Retouching
and they were a 3 step process before having to run through an Adobe application to get crop marks put on them!

[The Department of Design]

Of course I'm still learning :) and I'm not arguing either.
Was just sounding out the fact that work doesn't have to be 'output' via InDesign and just because it's in InDesign doesn't mean it's been set up any better or worse!
Understanding linked files and file sizes etc. and how they are managed is a good thing and so is which application is best for a certain type of job.

Applications now cross over so much in terms of what they can produce and all of the professional ones can effectively handle most types of work.
Perhaps it was easier when things were:
Quark - Layout
Illustrator - Drawing
Photoshop - Retouching
and they were a 3 step process before having to run through an Adobe application to get crop marks put on them!

I must learn how to not sound "argumentative" although it has generated discussion which I guess is why we use this forum? but honestly guys and or gals. I'm not arguing I just have passion and gusto, and enjoy the banter, Been a pleasure discussing with you all.

speak soon.

: )

(Abandons the thread until something catches my attention.)

[bigdave]

Just my 10p's worth but PhotoShop is for photos, Illustrator/freehand is for illustrating & Indesign/ Quark/Page Maker are for banging it all together and making it look pretty!

[SparkCreative]

What Dave said. Of course, there will always be exceptions, but if you learn that as a basic working method, then you can learn when it's appropriate to do it a different way.
The main reason it's a good idea to set things up properly for me is that printers will not be particularly happy with someone who sends them a photoshop cmyk file with spot silver - it'll cause them headaches and loads of potential cock ups, even though the method described worked fine.
It's becoming an issue. Everyone, particularly web 'designers' seems to be wanting to set stuff up in photoshop, even logos. Illustrator and Indesign handle type and output so much better for print.